[Editorial] Both sides can bend a little to find a solution to stalled inter-Korean talks

Posted on : 2014-10-30 11:26 KST Modified on : 2014-10-30 11:26 KST
 Blue House national security bureau first deputy director and leader of the South Korean delegation to high-level talks with the North
Blue House national security bureau first deputy director and leader of the South Korean delegation to high-level talks with the North

The second round of high-level talks that North and South Korea agreed to hold sometime in late October to early November now look to be in greater danger than ever of being canceled. The already tense situation between South and North could be about to take a turn for the worse. Hopefully the two sides can find it in them to bend a little and let the talks happen as planned.

To begin with, it was irresponsible for North Korea’s National Defense Commission to send a notice on Oct. 29 claiming it was “entirely up to South Korea” whether the talks would take place on Oct. 30 as Seoul proposed, or whether the launching of propaganda leaflet balloons to the North would continue to be an issue. The leaflets are an issue that could be addressed within the framework of the talks. Perhaps Pyongyang thought the two sides’ opinions were too divided for any common ground to be found in the discussions. But the leaflet issue is a small one in the larger context of inter-Korean relations. There are many issues between North and South that are more important and urgent. North Korea is sending a mixed message by claiming it wants relations to improve while also insisting on a resolution of the leaflets as a condition for talking.

Seoul’s share of the responsibility is even greater. On Oct. 29, it reiterated its position that the launches of leaflet balloons by private groups is not something it can control. In other words, it’s standing by its approach of doing nothing whatsoever about an issue that has gone from a simple matter of “freedom of expression” to a bona fide security concern. The problem with that is apparent when you consider whether it would react in the same hands-off way if another group were to send balloons carrying, say, relief goods to North Korea. If Seoul feels it needs to protect the leaflets on the basis of “freedom of expression” because they criticize the North‘s regime, that could easily give Pyongyang the impression that the South’s authorities want that regime to collapse. It could prove a measure of the two sides‘ basic level of trust.

Another worrying possibility is that Seoul’s attitude is another manifestation of a more general emphasis on the North Korean military threat recently. For example, there’s Minister of National Defense Han Min-koo talking about how the North’s nuclear weapon miniaturization technology is “believed to have reached a substantial level.” Then there’s Kim Kwan-jin, head of the Blue House Office of National Security, responding to questions about the decision to once again postpone the operational wartime control transfer by mentioning “the determination that a war could break out due to a misjudgment” by North Korea. Perhaps Seoul was thinking about all the flak it is getting from the public for delaying the transfer again. But insisting on a vague, intangible threat like that is not the attitude of an administration that wants to solve the problem of inter-Korean relations.

If these talks fail to happen, it’s going to be even harder to turn things around. Fortunately, there‘s a simple solution: just treat the leaflets within the broader context of inter-Korean relations. Pyongyang, for its part, needs to stop behaving childishly.

 

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